Pressure release for sand testing tools



Nov. 13, 1934.

J. S. MORRIS PRESSURE RELEASE FOR SAND TESTING TOOLS Filed April 18,1932 INVENTQR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Nev. 13, 1934 PATENT OFFICE y 1,980,219 PRESSURE RELEASE FonSAND TESTING 'rooLs Joseph S. Morris, Bruni, Tex.

Application April 18, 1932, Serial No. 606,038

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for deep welldrilling, particularly where a sand testing tool is employed.

Preliminary to a thorough understanding of 5 the invention it will beprotable to state that thev invention hereinafter described and claimedhas particular reference to sand testing tools and particularly to asand testing tool covered by Letters Patent of the United States, No.1,804,620, 0 issued May l2, 1931, to Frank Hux, which includes anelongated container having a valve for admitting and retaining samplesof fluid from the lower portion of the well and having means' at itsupper end for attachment to the hollow drill stem or pipe which servesas an operating member for the testing device as fully set forth in saidpatent. It may be used, however, with such types of sand testing toolsas may be found practicable.

rn the drilling of deep wens the practice of what is known asrat-holing'is resorted to as.

of small diameter justsuicient to gather a test.

of the strata and in drilling this smaller diameter hole a differentsort of packer is used to choke or cut olf the mud and water fron. theregular diameter hole. After the test of the rat-hole extension is madeit is difiicult to lift. the packer,

owing to the column of mud and water in the regular hole, bearingv downupon the rat-hole packer, to lift the packer from the hole. In soremoving the packer breakage and loss of time and labor frequentlyoccur, as it is difficult to lift the packer from the hole against theaforesaid weight of mud and water.'

In keeping with the foregoing it is the princi- 49 pal object of thisinvention to provide means for quickly creating a pressure within therathole and in the tubular passage of the tool equal to or in excess ofthe external hydrostatic pressure, whereby thepacker is relieved fromthe weight of mud and the like above the same, and

is in fact urge'd upwardly when the pressure acting beneath the packerexceeds the external fluid pressure. In accomplishing this result atubular or cylindrical member is slidably mounted within 50 the packerand is so proportioned as to function as a pump plunger whenreciprocated through the medium of the drill stem orpipe which serves asan operating member. This cylindrical pumping member is provided with aninwardly opening radial valve to admit fluid from the outside to assistin equalizing internal and external pressures, while preventing passageof high pressure uid from the interior after a pressure has been builtup substantially equal to or greater than the pressure of the outsidefluid, thus permitting ready removal of the packer.

The invention will be readily understood from a perusal of the followingdetailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawingand wherein:

Figure l is a vertical sectional view through a packer, the lower end ofa sand testing tool, and the suction pipe through which a test is drawn,and embodying the invention, the view including a. vertical sectionthrough a regular diameter well and the strata below the well showingthe ratl'uolel extension.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of a conical packer for rat-holingin position on its supporting member or tube. f

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3,-3 of Figure 1,and

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Having more detailed reference to the drawing, l denotes the lower endof a sand testing tool which is preferably of the type shown in the HunPatent No. 1,8,04,620, referred to above, which comprises an elongatedcontainer having a valve for admitting and retaining samples of the uidg5 from the lower portion of the well, and which is likewise provided atits upper end with means for attachment to an operating member or pipe,i. e. the usual drill stem tubing. As shown,4 the testing tool isprovided with a coupling thread for connection thereto of a tubular vorcylindrical member. 2 having relatively thick walls as compared with thediameter of the internal duct 18, and which in effect serves as a pumpplunger or rod when reciprocated ina manner to be hereagainst its seatby a spring 20. A conical shaped '105 packer 5 is `shownas slidablymounted upon the tubular member,- whose position is limited below vbythe enlargement of the tubular member and above by the lower end 1 ofthe testing tool.

The usual well hole is shown as having its walls exnded down to s points 'and beyond uns depth tween the regular hole andthe extension. as

clearly shown in Figure 1.

This packer is commonly made of several layers of material' suitableior'the purpose and indicated at 6 and 7 and as herein shown Athere isembodied in theconstruction a sleeve 8 with screwthreads 9 and 10. Thelayers of the material are superimposed one upon the other between therings l1 and 12 and these rings thus hold the structune together. Atight seal is thus eiected between the sleeve and the tubular member 2which is slidable therein and may be reclprocated by means of the drillstem tubing. Each ringv is further provided with gaskets or washers 13to further enhance lthe sealing means. The upper ring 12 is oil-set toextend inwardly over the top of the sleeve, likewise the lower ring 11is similarly arranged. The lower ring 1l is seated on the annular stepor extension 14o! the tubular member 2.

Operation lin/operation the entire device'is lowered until the packerelement reaches the position shownin Fig'. l, at which the conical wallsof the packer engage the well at thetop of the rat-hole. In thisposition the opening 19 inlthe cylindrical pumping member 2 is above thepacker. As soon, however, as the weight of the. testing tool and drillstem attached to the upper end of the tubular Amember comes into play,the member 2 will slide downwardly within the packer until the opening19 is within the sleeve 8, while at the same time forcing the packerinto tight engagement with where it is retained by manipulation of thevalve, with which said tool is provided.

To remove the packer after the test has been taken, the thick walledcylindrical pumping memb er 2 may be reciprocated, thereby quicklybuildwhich is equal .to or greater than' the outside pressure. Insuchoperation-it will be noted that the valve 21 permits iluid to owinwardly, 'but does not permit iluid to pass outwardly alter an internalpressurehasbeenbuiltupequaltoor greater than the pressure on theoutside.

What `is claimed as new is:

For use with an elongated container having a valve for admitting andretaining samples of a ilid from the lower end of a well and havingmeans at its upper end for attachment to an operating member or pipe; acylindrical pumping member adapted to be secured to the lower portion ofthe container and having an intake at its lower end. and Aa downwardlytaperingy packer member having a limited sliding movement on saidcylindrical pumping member, said cylindrical pumping member having anunobstructed duct leading from its intake into the receptacle, the ductbeing'oi small ldiameter as compared with the diameter of the cylinder,whereby the liquid, displaced when the packer'is wedged into a ratholeentrance a'nd the cylinder descends into the rat-hole, is forced up intothe container, said cylindrical pumping member also having a radialopening communicating with the duct, said opening being located withinthe tapering packer mem- .ing up a pressure in the rat-hole below thepacker ber when the latter is in its uppermost position with lrespect tosaid cylinder and above it when it is in its lowermost position withrespect to the cylinder, and an inwardly opening valve in said radialopening to prevent e of high pressure iluid from the interior of theduct after a pressure has been built up substantially equal to orgreater than the pressure of the outside uld. thus permitting readyremoval oi' the packer on the completion of a test.

` JOSEPH S. MORRIS.

